Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Hurricane Sandy pillaged the East Coast yesterday -- leaving over 8 million residents in Manhattan without power, thousands upon thousands more without power outside of Manhattan; over a dozen people dead; no mass transit and massive flooding in the subways and tunnels; fires in Queens; and much much more.

Instead of musing on things cheese related today -- I wanted to take a second to pause and make sure all of my dear Fromagical readers are safe and sound and send positive thoughts and wishes to those without power and with water damage and more.

Fromagical wishes you a safe and secure recovery after this insane storm.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Bright and early Saturday, I boarded the train bound for DC, heading south to run the Marine Corps Marathon as the light was just entering the sky. There's something about traveling in the early morning hours that walks the most fabulous line between magical and mystical and dreamy all at once. Arriving to Union Station, a quick trip over to the Marine Corps Marathon expo to get my bib number and meander around all the running wares -- leopard print arm warmers and running shrugs to Clif bars and sneakers and much much more.

Next stop -- lunch in the Penn Quarter at Jose Andres' Spanish tapas joint -- Jaleo. A modern and sleek yet fun and playful interior geared towards families and large groups along with tables for two. An extensive menu of delectable Spanish tapas -- salads and vegetables, cheeses, meats, fish, and more. Unfortunately if it hadn't been the day before a marathon, I would have throughly explored their cheese selections and more but because it was, I stuck with their Tortilla cooked to order along with a side of sauteed spinach, pine nuts and raisins. The Tortilla is traditional tapas fare at its best -- simple yet flavorful, eggs, potatoes, onions and a touch of seasoning. The spinach was flavorful and rustic yet clean and delightful -- an excellent way to kick off the weekend in DC. I look forward to returning to sample and enjoy a wider variety of dishes on the menu the next time I'm in DC.

Next stop, the Lichtenstein show at the National Gallery of Art -- the first major retrospective of this prolific pop artist that is completely bypassing the New York City metro area so a perfect opportunity to catch it while down in our nation's capital. An extensive survey of Lichtenstein's career that was a total treat and a break from all the pre-marathon prep!

Leaving the National Gallery and only twelve hours till I was scheduled to get up to run the Marine Corps Marathon -- dinner, sleep and a few other things on the agenda!

After a clean and simple dinner at Cityhouse of salmon and roasted veggies, it was time to turn in to get ready for the race.

3:55am Sunday morning, time to get up to get ready for the 37th annual Marine Corps Marathon -- a race that starts right past the Pentagon and near Arlington National Cemetery and goes through Georgetown, the National Memorials, along the Potomac and finishes back pretty much where it started near Arlington National Cemetery and Iwo Jima Memorial. Of the 30,000 participants in yesterday's marathon, 12,000 were running their first marathon and many were running the race in honor of a fallen loved one. The People's Marathon -- a race without prize money and open to anyone above the age of 14, this race was about the love of running, bringing people together over a shared goal, running in honor of loved ones and ones who are not longer with us. Unlike prior marathons, this race felt different, in the most wonderful of ways. It's about the goal, the run, the race and the mission of achieving it -- pushing yourself that extra step, that extra mile, and surprising yourself and those around you. Here's to many more running adventures to come near and far away. And thank you to my close friends and family who support me through all of my endeavors.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Jasper Hill is one of my favorite farms and cellars in Vermont, see post 671 for Fromagical's visit there. Their cave aging facility is by far one of the most advanced of its kind -- completely state of the art. The Cellars at Jasper Hill are the home aging facilities for a number of Vermont creameries apart from their own cheeses including Landaff Creamery and Von Trapp Farmstead along with Cabot and more.

Jasper Hill's cheese line is constantly expanding, changing and developing. Up until now, the cornerstones of their line were : Bayley Hazen Blue, Harbison, Moses Sleeper and Winnimere. But this Fall, they have come out with a new addition - Alpha Tolman. Inspired by the Alpine style greats, this aged raw cow's milk cheese is named after a turn of the 20th century Vermont philanthropist, Mr. Alpha Tolman. A dairy farmer by profession, Mr. Tolman was instrumental in building the Greensboro, Vermont library along with stimulating the socio-economic growth of the town. But back to the cheese for the moment -- crafted in the traditional Alpine style, Alpha Tolman is cooked and pressed and then each twenty pound wheel is washed in a cultured brine solution.

Image courtesy of www.cellarsatjasperhill.com

Alpha Tolman embodies those fabulous Alpine style textural qualities but is truly its own Vermont beauty. Younger morsels are full of bright fruity notes and rustic nutty nuances with a round sensuously smooth milky feel and finish. As Alpha Tolman ages, the cheese flavor profile deepens becoming bigger, bolder, and more dynamic -- the rustic, farmsteady, roasty, toasty notes are dialed up with caramelly, butterscotchy, buttery nuances and that fantastic aged cheese crystallized texture on the tongue.

An exciting new release from an outstanding Vermont creamery just in time for wintertime and fondue season!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Newsflash -- in case you don't know and haven't had the pleasure of hearing me talk about it occasionally for the past few months and pretty often for the past few weeks, I'm running the Marine Corps Marathon this Sunday. No folks, I'm not joining the Marines, I'm running what's known as the People's Marathon. Why you might be wondering? Because it is open to all runners above the age of 14 and is the largest marathon without prize money.

In case you're somewhat new to my musings - I've done a few of these marathon things before so it isn't my first rodeo but with any luck, it might be my first marathon in a hurricane if the weather forecasters are correct and Hurricane Sandy hits Washington DC in time for the 30,000 some odd runners of the marathon on Sunday morning. Lets click our heels together and make a wish that doesn't happen and that the rain holds out, even just till 11am would be great!

In the week leading up to the race, I've been making simple flavorful meals at home chocked full of veggies, proteins, and gluten free carbs. Last night for dinner, I made a roasted cauliflower quinoa with grilled tofu, homemade tomato sauce and goat cheese. Full of everything good for you leading into a marathon!

How to prepare the meal:

Roasted Cauliflower:

Pre-heat oven to 350. In an oven safe pan toss your cauliflower florets with some EVOO, a diced up garlic clove, crushed red pepper, sea salt and parsley. After about twenty minutes, pull out and top with some freshly grated Parmesan. Place back in the oven for another eight to ten minutes or until the cauliflower is golden brown.

Tomato Sauce :
There's something fabulously satisfying about the smell of tomatoes cooking, it makes your home feel more homey. I keep it really simple and toss a cup full of diced cherry tomatoes in a pan with 1/4 of a red onion, a diced up garlic clove, EVOO, basil and some spices. The key to your stove top tomato sauce is cooking it low and slow my friends. I like to cook it for anywhere between forty to fifty minutes and while it's cooking, you can prepare the remainder of your components.

Quinoa :
Cook like rice -- bring salted water to boil and toss quinoa in, lower heat, cook until all the water is absorbed.

Grilled Tofu :
I like to marinate the tofu in a melange of herbes de provence, EVOO, sea salt, black pepper and some scallions then toss on a stove grill for approximately three to five minutes per side or until golden brown. Once the tofu is down, take off and cut into small pieces.

Combine all of your components in a big bowl and top with crumbled local Lynnhaven Chevre infused with EVOO, garlic, herbs, and Sundried tomatoes and enjoy!

No pasta necessary folks - quinoa is a great alternative before running!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

The second branch of Marc Murphy's casual American bistro located on the third floor of the Time Warner Center is classic Upper West Side -- families with strollers, young upwardly mobile couples and groups of friends gathering over cocktails and nibbles, passers-by, local neighborhoody folks coming in for a quick bite, you name it, it's easy and convenient. Always packed full with a nice buzz in the room -- come in for brunch, lunch, or dinner and have an extensive selection of food options.

Walking in at 6:30 on a Sunday evening for a large family dinner, the sleek and modern room was practically full to the brim. We had a nice circular table towards the back of the restaurant for nine -- but the mixture of the diameter of the table plus the volume of the room made it hard for us to talk freely from one side of the table to the other.

So what did I have?

Seared wild Sockeye Salmon with winter roasted vegetables with a side of roasted brussel sprouts topped with shaved Parmesan. Simple yet flavorful and wonderfully seasonal, this was the perfect meal after a day spent outdoors hiking. However, next time I come to Landmarc, I most certainly won't come at the Sunday evening dinner rush as it took over an hour for us to receive our food. Overall everyone was pleased with their dishes, that is when they arrived.

A lovely local joint for simple, well prepared dishes and a nice atmosphere.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Brunch is a tough meal at many NYC restaurants - why I'm not exactly sure as it is such a beloved meal by so many diners. Sure there are your brunch staples and the such but there is plenty of room for creativity and it seems to be lost often in this classic weekend meal.

Acme, the once beloved Cajun / Southern joint with great Hurricanes and live Zydeco music, revamped less than a year ago into a downtown chic new Nordic joint with Mads Refslund at the helm. Creative and inventive with a fantastic sense of whimsy at dinner time, I was very much looking forward to trying their brunch.

Unfortunately their brunch menu did not wow in the same way dinner does. Brunch was composed of mainly simple, straight forward dishes done well but lacking in creativity -- why I wonder?

Needless to say I had their benedict -- house cured salmon with the classic two poached eggs topped with dill, roasted tomatoes and sauteed swiss chard on a thick slice of country bread lathered in mustard, hollandaise on the side for me with some grated Parmesan instead. The salmon was fantastic -- fresh and fishy yet aromatic and flavorful. A classic brunch dish done well with hints of a Northern European influence.

It seems though their creativity was more in the sweet realm of the menu

We tried their beer and bread porridge topped with salted caramel ice cream -- definitely more dessert decadence than breakfasty brunch food but this rustically sweet and comforting dish was a unique take on the classic porridge / oatmeal style breakfasts.

Overall -- a favorite of the downtown set for its scene-y chic nights full of creative cocktails and delicious dishes.

Boil 3 -4 cups of Salted Water. Once the water has come to a boil, pour your rice in and turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Stir occasionally for 30-45 minutes until the water is absorbed. Once water is absorbed, stir in a half tablespoon of Dijon Mustard and remove from heat.

For Butternut Squash :

Preheat oven to 350. Dice up butternut squash and a clove of garlic. Toss with some EVOO, sea salt and Herbes de Provence. Place on a baking dish in the oven for between 15 and 20 minutes or until golden brown.

For Dinosaur Kale :

Dice up in a saute pan with 1/4 of red onion and a scallion and some EVOO. Cover and cook over moderate heat until cooked down then toss in your almonds.

Combine all together and top with some extra EVOO, sea salt, black pepper and Herbes De Provence and of course last but not least Cooperstown Cheese Company's Aged Toma Celena. Originally inspired by a classic aged Italian firm cow's milk cheese -- Toma Celena is nutty, buttery, rustic, farmsteady and all around fabulous. The older it gets, the more piquant and defined its flavor profile becomes -- dialing up the graininess and roasty toasty caramelly notes. This cheese emanates rustic warmth in the most perfect of ways for our autumnal roasted veggie wild rice dish.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Let's finish up our American Cheese Celebration tasting from last week with our people's choice winner of the evening -- Vermont Butter and Cheese's Bonne Bouche. This pasteurized goat's milk disc of creamy goodness is the cornerstone of VBC's aged goat's milk cheese line -- geotrichum aged with a fabulous ashen exterior rind. Meant to be enjoyed young, it is all brightness and milkiness with a fresh, citrusy, grassy bent. As Bonne Bouche ages -- the flavors become more piquant.

What goes with this crowd-pleaser of a cheese?

Perhaps a nice glass of Blanc de Blancs or even a Long Island Pinot Blanc such as Lieb Cellars Pinot. The bubbles of a Blanc de Blancs will cut through the creaminess of the cheese and find their counterpart in the bright citrusy notes of the cheese. If you're not in a bubbles mood, the Pinot Blanc's crisp, bright, grassy, citrusy, pineapple-y notes will find their flavor match with the Bonne Bouche creating a perfect Springtime flavor moment.

Stay tuned over the course of the rest of the month of October for plenty more American Cheese Adventures! Here's to the greatness of the American Artisanal Cheesemakers!

Monday, October 15, 2012

I apologize my dear friends for being slightly radio silent for the past few days - I'm finally playing catch-up today and things will get much more consistent...so let's get back to day three in our American Cheese Celebrations wrap up from last week's tasting with Lille. No folks, I'm not talking about the city in France, I'm talking about the soft ripened Coulommiers inspired cheese crafted by the folks at Vermont Farmstead.

Coulommiers, in case you are not familiar is a cousin of the more well known Brie.

Lille is a fabulous bloomy rinded cheese -- full of buttery round notes and a nice clean mushroomy finish with faint hints of nuttiness and grassiness. A crowd pleaser of a cheese -- this is a sumptuous, unctuous, mouth coating cheese moment!

Lille for me is the embodiment of Vermont summertime -- bright and full of life!

Instead of pairing Lille with the obvious options of either bubbles or a light crisp white wine, why not pair Lille with a cocktail? In honor of the summertime spirit what about an Elderflower Prosecco Cocktail?

Add a few ice cubes to a tumbler style glass. Add a decent amount of Prosecco and a splash of St Germain followed by a few paper-thin slices of cucumber and a dash of lemon. Top with a mint sprig or two for crisp freshness. This refreshing cocktail will cut through the round buttery-ness of the cheese in the most elegant of fashions, it will bring out the hints of grassiness in the cheese and is a different route for Lille.

Albeit not particularly seasonal -- this is also a fabulous celebratory pairing!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Wayyyy back on Day 488, I had the pleasure of visiting with Ira Grable and learning about the inner workings of one of my favorite local blue cheeses -- Berkshire Blue. This raw Jersey cow's milk cheese aged for just sixty days and crafted in the traditional blue cheese manner was the only blue showcased at Tuesday's tasting.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Last night I hosted a fabulous tasting of American cheeses and over the course of the next few days - I thought we'd highlight each one of them and tell you all my dear Fromagical readers why they are so fabulous.

Let's start with Grafton Village Cheese's 3 year aged Cheddar. This my friends is a cheddar with roots -- Grafton's history dates back to the 1890s when a co-op of farmers got together to begin producing cheese with their excess milk. This was somewhat of a short lived operation as in 1912, a large fire destroyed their facilities. It was not until the 1960s, that the Windham Foundation came along and rebuilt the operation and restored a sense of cheesemaking life into Grafton which continues to this day. The Windham Foundation is centered around helping stimulate and promote agricultural, economic, societal and cultural growth in the rural communities of Vermont. A portion of your purchase of any cheese crafted by Grafton Village Cheese goes to benefit the Windham Foundation.

Fast forward to 2012 -- Grafton Village Cheese is a big deal operation making hundreds of pounds of cheese on a yearly basis. Experts in Cheddar -- Grafton crafts young and old cheddars, infused cheddars, and pretty much anything in between.

My absolute favorite of their Cheddars is their 3 year. It's fantastically biting and robust yet rustic, farmsteady and creamy. With hints of grassiness and a honest raw roundness -- it is a superstar of a Cheddar. Intensely crumbly in the most wonderful of ways -- those morsels manage to coat every crevice of your mouth. Great on its own or paired with dried apricots and roasted walnuts or sandwiched between two pieces of bread with sliced tomatos and toasted to make a grilled cheese -- it sure is a versatile cheese!

Best enjoyed either with McCall's 2010 Pinot Noir hailing from the North Fork if you're in the wine mood or Brooklyn Brewery's Pennant Ale if you're in a beer mood. McCall's Pinot Noir is all elegance -- full of dark cherry and red berry notes with hints of spice and notes of vanilla -- medium bodied and the perfect Fall local wine to bring out the flavors of the cheese. Not feeling wine -- then grab a Pennant Ale, Brooklyn Brewery's traditional English style pale ale. Bright honey colored with a toasty, crisp hoppy, maltiness and fruity smoothness. A great pairing partner for our Grafton 3 year aged Cheddar.

Here's to the beginning of our American Cheese Celebrations with the wonderful Grafton Village Cheese 3 year Cheddar!

Monday, October 8, 2012

An awesome farm to table neighborhood-y restaurant on Vernon Boulevard with fresh inventive riffs on the classics boasting an extensive whiskey list and great cocktails. Definitely more for the meat-lover but with plenty of vegetarian and non-meat options.

The rustic yet sleek interior was full of couples, groups of friends, and young families for yesterday's Sunday brunch. Great coffee and brunch cocktails were the perfect beginning to the meal.

Lemon ricotta pancakes with a seasonal fruit compote were the starter for the table. Tangy and citrusy yet warm and round and creamy, not too heavy and just the perfect palate teaser.

I followed with their Salmon Benny -- a classic brunch dish -- two poached eggs with cured salmon, rosemary, and arugula. Minus the English muffin and hollandaise portion for me but with a side of smoked ricotta and a mixed green salad, it was a savory and aromatic beginning to the rainy grey day. The eggs were poached just right and the cured salmon was just right.

My three dining companions were equally pleased with their meals -- each of us enjoying the elevated rustic farm to table cuisine in the warm and comfortable atmosphere. I look forward to going back for one of their whiskey evenings and for dinner.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

It's one of those Sunday evenings where being inside and cozy under blankets with a good friend, loved one, or furry friend is exactly the ticket. There's something about the grey rainy chill in the air that just calls for indoors and cuddling. So what to enjoy on an evening like this?How about a dark chocolate and cheese pairing?For the cheese - let's go with one of my absolute favorites - Coupole. Made by Allison Hooper and the wonderful folks at Vermont Butter and Cheese isnamed for its shape in French -- snow covered dome. An aged pasteurized goat's milk cheese with a natural and crinkly soft rind and an ivory chalky lactic interior modeled on the great Loire Valley goats but with that Vermont "je ne sais quoi." Creamy and milky with a nice burst of citrusy grassy fabulousness. And for the chocolate? How about Maison du Chocolat's Dark Chocolate Bark with almonds, pistachios, and dried fruit. Not too sweet, not too bitter but with just the right creamy, nutty, fruity crunch. The tangy, grassy, citrusy, lactic and milky notes of the cheese will play off of the rustic nutty elegant nuances of the chocolate for the perfect marriage of flavors.

Friday, October 5, 2012

For American Cheese Month, Casellula has a focus on American artisanal cheeses on their extensive cheese menu -- little known and showcased cheeses from Washington State to Texas, Tennessee, New York and much much more. So what cheeses did we sample?

From their Bloomy and Soft Ripened section we had Dinah’s hailing from Kurtwood Farms in Vashon Island, Washington. This decadent bloomy pasteurized cow cheese was full of unctuous, round buttery notes. Infused with the local terroir and the scent of ocean breezes - this is an elegant cheese perfect for a glass of bubbles. Paired with Casellula's Sweet Cardamom popcorn, I think the cheese got lost but on its own, it was spectacular!

From their Washed Ripened section we had Dancing Fern hailing from Sequatchie Cove Farm in Sequatchie, Tennessee. This washed cow's milk cheese was earthy, piercing, meaty, and rustic with a down home sort of bent. Classic round cow notes abounded here, perfection with a nice Ommegang Abbey Ale perhaps. Casellula served it with pickled quail eggs and although I love anything pickled and I love quail eggs, I thought the cheese got lost when paired with the pickled eggs.

From their Cooked and Pressed Section we had one of my absolute Vermonter favorites -- Consider Bardwell's Manchester. This firm raw goat's milk cheese is all sleek rustic elegance with an earthy barnyardy bent and a grassy ctirusy twang. Great with a nice medium bodied white or an earthy smooth red. Casellula paired it with Oregano roasted tomatoes which brought out the cheese's herbaceous aromatic notes in a beautiful manner.

Lastly from their Blue section we had their Two-Faced Blue from Willapa Hills Farm in Doty, Washington. This semi-firm mixed cow and sheep's milk cheese was the perfect balance of spicy, salty, piquance and round, buttery, creaminess. A dynamic blue that appealed to the novice blue cheese lover and the more advanced blue cheese aficionado. Paired with their Macadamia, Cashew nut brittle, the final pairing almost became like dessert.

Overall a really fun salute to American Cheese Month at Casellula! I look forward to going back to trying a variety of their other selections.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

The revamped Persephone, now known as Amali is located on 60th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, a busy thoroughfare of a street. Walking in, the classic white washed walls and rustic barnyardy feel of Persephone are gone as is the go-to menu composed of Greek standbys. In its place is a somewhat modern yet sleek farmhouse interior with the corrugated walls adorned with abstract photographs. The menu is Mediterranean farm to table driven, heavy on the appetizers and share-able plates at lunch. Unique and bold combinations of flavors like Eggplant with Calabrian Chili Honey Vinaigrette, Sesame, Cilantro and Yogurt along with Corn Fritters with Smoked Sheep's Milk Ricotta and Okra made up a large percentage of their small plates. Although we did not have the pleasure of trying any of these inventive flavor combinations, I would most certainly go back to explore them.

What we did have to start was their Cheese Plate composed of Fiore Sardo, Pecorino and Grana Padano accompanied by a plum quince jam and caramelized nut clusters. Don't get me wrong - I like all three of these cheeses but they are all firm and have somewhat of a similar consistency -- a unique choice for a cheese plate as traditionally you want to showcase a series of cheeses with different textures and flavor profiles. To their benefit - their cheese selection does change on a daily basis apparently.

Then I had their Octopus a la Plancha served with celery, oregano and a red wine vinaigrette which was simple, savory, sleek, and fabulously flavorful. This was all about the Octopus and allowing it to shine and shine it did!

We also tried their Spiced Squash Panna Cotta topped with pistachios and served with Marcona Almonds and a Balsamic sorbet. A very unusual dessert that although it made your mind think of Thanksgiving was quite aromatically fabulous and a bold dessert menu decision.

Overall a lovely meal in a convivial atmosphere -- the menu surely takes its risks in the same way that the design pushes itself with the corrugated walls. A nice modern update of a Greek classic.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Happy October! In case you did not know - it is also American Cheese month. An entire thirty one days dedicated to celebrating the fabulous world of American artisanal cheeses. Over the course of this month, if you stop by any of the following cheese purveyors and purchase a cheese passport for $10, you will receive discounts ranging from twenty to forty percent off of a wide selection of American cheeses. The deals and specials differ by the day and by the place - check out the full list on each of their websites. So if you are not familiar with American artisanal cheeses or absolutely adore them and want to enjoy more of them this month or want to explore new cheeses, then get yourself to one of the following local retail shops and pick up a passport:

SO WHAT IS FROMAGICAL?

Well, that is a good question!

Fromagical is meant to show you that cheese can be utterly magical! It is to be a mix of cheese consulting -- do you need to plan a cheese platter for your next cocktail party? Are you scared of going up to the cheese counter? Do you need help navigating what's what? Did you want someone to come into your home and give you an informative but totally fun lecture on cheese and different types?? Need ideas for recipes with a particular cheese? Want to know what sort of cheese to buy your boss? Your parents? Your boyfriend or girlfriend? Or wanting to know what sort of drink pairs perfectly with that cheese you bought at the Greenmarket?

You've come to the right place!

I am here to help -- your very own personalized cheese consultant.

About Me

By day, I run an art gallery and am very passionate about bringing fine art to people who appreciate it and who wake up in the morning to a smile on their face when they look at the new painting on their wall. In my free time, apart from marathon training, I spend as much of it as possible, eating, learning and experimenting with cheese, cooking, wine and spirits tasting, and well anything involved with food and wine.